Changes

==Education and family==

==Education and family==

Hendren graduated in 1960 with a degree in [[engineering]] from the [[University of Arkansas]] at Fayetteville. He is an Independent [[Protestant]] who has been active since 1963 in the [[Gideons International]], the men's group which distributes [[Bible]]s in such public places as hotel rooms. He is also active in the Kiwanis Club. Hendren is married to the former Marylea Hutchinson,<ref name=pvs/>a sister of former U.S. Senator [[Tim Hutchinson]] and former [[U.S. Representative]] [[Asa Hutchinson]]. In 2002, Tim Hutchinson lost his reelection bid to [[Mark Pryor]] for the other U.S. Senate seat from Arkansas. Asa Hutchinson lost a Senate race in 1986 to [[Dale Bumpers]] and the gubernatorial campaign in 2006 to [[Mike Beebe]]. Hendren is an engineer and holds investments in an automobile dealership, real estate, and poultry interests. The Hendrens have four children, Mark, Jim, Gayla, and Hope.<ref name=nwa/>

Hendren graduated in 1960 with a degree in [[engineering]] from the [[University of Arkansas]] at Fayetteville. He is an Independent [[Protestant]] who has been active since 1963 in the [[Gideons International]], the men's group which distributes [[Bible]]s in such public places as hotel rooms. He is also active in the Kiwanis Club. Hendren is married to the former Marylea Hutchinson,<ref name=pvs/> a sister of former U.S. Senator [[Tim Hutchinson]] and former [[U.S. Representative]] [[Asa Hutchinson]]. In 2002, Tim Hutchinson lost his reelection bid to [[Mark Pryor]] for the other U.S. Senate seat from Arkansas. Asa Hutchinson lost a Senate race in 1986 to [[Dale Bumpers]] and the gubernatorial campaign in 2006 to [[Mike Beebe]]. Hendren is an engineer and holds investments in an automobile dealership, real estate, and poultry interests. The Hendrens have four children, Mark, Jim, Gayla, and Hope.<ref name=nwa/>

==Legislative service==

==Legislative service==

Known for his folksy demeanor at the capitol,<ref name=nwa>{{cite web|url=http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2009/04/19/news/041909arhendrenannounces.txt|title="Gravette's Hendren Announces Challenge for U.S. Senate Seat"|publisher=NWAonline.net|access date=May 16, 2009}}</ref>Hendren considers himself a fiscal conservative and voted against changing the Arkansas unemployment law to accept $59 million in federal stimulus money.<ref name=nwa/> He voted in February 2009 to support an increase in his state's tobacco tax.<ref name=nwa/> In 2008, he backed an increase in the severance tax on [[natural gas]].<ref name=hendren/>He has also authored a bill to require [[motorcycle|motorcyclists]] to wear helmets or demonstrate proof of [[health insurance]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://arkansasnews.com/2009/02/23/helmet-bill-stalls-in-committee/|title=Doug Thompson, Stephens Media, "Motorcycle helmet, tarp bill stall in committee"|publisher=Arkansasnews.com|access date=May 18, 2009}}</ref>

Known for his folksy demeanor at the capitol,<ref name=nwa>{{cite web|url=http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2009/04/19/news/041909arhendrenannounces.txt|title=Gravette's Hendren Announces Challenge for U.S. Senate Seat|publisher=NWAonline.net|access date=May 16, 2009}}</ref> Hendren considers himself a fiscal conservative and voted against changing the Arkansas unemployment law to accept $59 million in federal stimulus money.<ref name=nwa/> He voted in February 2009 to support an increase in his state's tobacco tax.<ref name=nwa/> In 2008, he backed an increase in the severance tax on [[natural gas]].<ref name=hendren/> He has also authored a bill to require [[motorcycle|motorcyclists]] to wear helmets or demonstrate proof of [[health insurance]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://arkansasnews.com/2009/02/23/helmet-bill-stalls-in-committee/|title=Doug Thompson, Stephens Media, "Motorcycle helmet, tarp bill stall in committee"|publisher=Arkansasnews.com|access date=May 18, 2009}}</ref>

   

   

From 1967-1969, Hendren served on the Gravette City Council and later the Gravette School Board. In 1978, Hendren was first elected as a Democrat to the state Senate at the same time that Clinton won his first two-year term as governor.<ref>''Arkansas Gazette'', Little Rock, [[Arkansas]], November 9, 1978</ref>Hendren won the Senate seat in 1978, after the incumbent Republican,  

From 1967-1969, Hendren served on the Gravette City Council and later the Gravette School Board. In 1978, Hendren was first elected as a Democrat to the state Senate at the same time that Clinton won his first two-year term as governor.<ref>''Arkansas Gazette'', Little Rock, [[Arkansas]], November 9, 1978</ref> Hendren won the Senate seat in 1978, after the incumbent Republican,  

Jim Caldwell, a Church of Christ minister from Rogers, stepped down after a decade in office.<ref>''Arkansas Outlook'', Republican Party newsletter, November-December 1968</ref>

Jim Caldwell, a Church of Christ minister from Rogers, stepped down after a decade in office.<ref>''Arkansas Outlook'', Republican Party newsletter, November–December 1968</ref>

In 1982, Hendren ran fourth in a five-candidate field, with 21,829 votes (3.85 percent), in the Democratic gubernatorial primary. After defeating Joe Purcell in a runoff election, former Governor [[Bill Clinton]] that year then toppled Republican Frank D. White, who had unseated Clinton in the [[Ronald W. Reagan]] sweep of 1980.<ref>Arkansas Secretary of State, Democratic gubernatorial primary election returns from 1982</ref>

In 1982, Hendren ran fourth in a five-candidate field, with 21,829 votes (3.85 percent), in the Democratic gubernatorial primary. After defeating Joe Purcell in a runoff election, former Governor [[Bill Clinton]] that year then toppled Republican Frank D. White, who had unseated Clinton in the [[Ronald W. Reagan]] sweep of 1980.<ref>Arkansas Secretary of State, Democratic gubernatorial primary election returns from 1982</ref>

Because Hendren ran for governor, he could not seek reelection to the state Senate. In 2001, he returned to the legislature, having won a single term in 2000 -- his first as a Republican -- in the Arkansas House of Representatives. In 2003, he returned to the state Senate twenty years after he left the position. He ran  unopposed in 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2009/R/Pages/MemberProfile.aspx?member=Hendren|title="Senator Kim Hendren (R)"|publisher=Arkleg.state.ar.us|access date-May 18, 2009}}</ref>

Because Hendren ran for governor, he could not seek reelection to the state Senate. In 2001, he returned to the legislature, having won a single term in 2000—his first as a Republican—in the Arkansas House of Representatives. In 2003, he returned to the state Senate twenty years after he left the position. He ran  unopposed in 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2009/R/Pages/MemberProfile.aspx?member=Hendren|title=Senator Kim Hendren (R)|publisher=Arkleg.state.ar.us|access date-May 18, 2009}}</ref>

==U.S. Senate candidacy==

==U.S. Senate candidacy==

In May 2009, Hendren apologized after it was reported that during a meeting of the Pulaski County Republican Committee in Little Rock, he referred to Democratic U.S. Senator [[Charles Schumer]] of [[New York]] as "that [[Jew]]" after Schumer had criticized the Republican Party. "I ought not to have referred to it at all. When I referred to him as Jewish, it wasn't because I don't like Jewish people. I shouldn't have gotten into this Jewish business because it distracts from the issue. . . I believe in traditional values, like we used to see on ''The Andy Griffith Show''," Hendren said, adding that he does not use a [[Teleprompter]] and sometimes mispeaks in haste.<ref name=hendren>{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2009/05/14/2009-05-14_oy_vey_arkansas_state_senator_kim_hendren.html|title=Michael McAuliff, "Oy vey! Arkansas State Senator Kim Hendren calls Chuck Schumer 'that Jew'"|publisher=''New York Daily News''|access date=May 16, 2009}}</ref>Schumer said that he accepted the apology. Hendren's comments drew a reprimand from Brian Walsh, a spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, who said that "Comments like this are completely inappropriate and don't have any place in public or private discourse."<ref name=hendren/>

In May 2009, Hendren apologized after it was reported that during a meeting of the Pulaski County Republican Committee in Little Rock, he referred to Democratic U.S. Senator [[Charles Schumer]] of [[New York]] as "that [[Jew]]" after Schumer had criticized the Republican Party. "I ought not to have referred to it at all. When I referred to him as Jewish, it wasn't because I don't like Jewish people. I shouldn't have gotten into this Jewish business because it distracts from the issue. . . I believe in traditional values, like we used to see on ''The Andy Griffith Show''," Hendren said, adding that he does not use a [[Teleprompter]] and sometimes mispeaks in haste.<ref name=hendren>{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2009/05/14/2009-05-14_oy_vey_arkansas_state_senator_kim_hendren.html|title=Michael McAuliff, "Oy vey! Arkansas State Senator Kim Hendren calls Chuck Schumer 'that Jew'"|publisher=''New York Daily News''|access date=May 16, 2009}}</ref> Schumer said that he accepted the apology. Hendren's comments drew a reprimand from Brian Walsh, a spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, who said that "Comments like this are completely inappropriate and don't have any place in public or private discourse."<ref name=hendren/>

Hendren opposed the confirmation of [[United States Secretary of the Treasury]] [[Timothy Geithner]]. He also objects to runaway federal spending while each state is meanwhile required to balance its budget. He opposes Lincoln's vote to subsidize the giant [[AIG]] insurance company.<ref name=nwa/>  

Hendren opposed the confirmation of [[United States Secretary of the Treasury]] [[Timothy Geithner]]. He also objects to runaway federal spending while each state is meanwhile required to balance its budget. He opposes Lincoln's vote to subsidize the giant [[AIG]] insurance company.<ref name=nwa/>